Course: "Photography from Scratch"

Photography from Scratch: Two Years to Truly Learn

A deep course for those who want not just to "click," but to see, understand, and create.

Have you held a camera but feel it's just a tool, and the language of photography still eludes you? Our two-year "Photography from Scratch" course is designed for those ready to invest time and effort to move from random shots to conscious creativity and mastery.

This is not an intensive course. This is a foundation.

Over 2 years (from September to May, with summer breaks), we journey from absolute basics to creating original photo stories. Why so long? Because true mastery requires not only knowing the buttons but also developing vision, understanding light, composition, working with people, and, most importantly, the ability to critically evaluate and improve your work. There will be no easy paths or empty praise here. Our goal is to teach you to shoot meaningfully and with quality.

How Your Training is Structured:

1. Immersion in the Fundamentals (Year 1):

Structured Theory with a Curator: Every week – a deep dive into key topics: from camera controls (exposure triangle, modes, histogram) and file/archive management to laws of composition, secrets of light and color, and basics of various genres (portrait, landscape, sports, reportage). Classes are clearly planned – theory, Q&A, testing understanding.
Homework – Your Main Tool for Growth: After each theoretical block – a practical shooting assignment. Not an abstract "photograph something beautiful," but a specific task to practice what was learned (e.g., controlling depth of field, working with backlight, applying the rule of thirds in reportage).
Review – The Heart of Learning: The next session with the curator is entirely devoted to a detailed analysis of your homework and the work of your peers. This is where our individual approach shines: The curator won't just point out mistakes ("overexposed," "tilted horizon"), but will explain why it's a mistake in the context of the task, how to fix it technically and compositionally, and what could have been done differently to strengthen the shot. Key principle: By reviewing the work of the entire group (up to 20 people), you learn not only from your own but also from others' typical mistakes, expanding your visual experience and understanding. The tone is constructive, demanding, but always solution-oriented. We don't flatter egos, we teach how to see.
Lectures by Star Photographers (3 times a month): Inspiration + unique experience. You'll meet renowned photographers – from deep masterclasses on niche topics (sports photography, creating longforms) to candid reviews of their best work and stories from the field. This is a view from within the profession, expanding horizons.

2. From Shot to Story (Year 2):

Deepening Practice and Developing a Personal Vision: Continuation of studying complex genres (theater photography, working with flashes, commercial photography) and professional aspects (working with clients, preparing for exhibitions/contests).
Main Focus – Your Diploma Project: You choose a topic close to you (an issue, a place, a person), agree on it with the curator, and dedicate the entire second year to creating a photo story. This is not a collection of random shots, but a thoughtful visual narrative, formatted as a book or longform.
Project Curation: The curator becomes your mentor on this journey – helping with planning shoots, concept, selection and sequence of shots, layout. Regular reviews of intermediate results are intensive individual work on your unique statement.

What You Will Gain in the End:

Not a set of lifehacks, but a deep understanding of camera principles, light, composition, genre specifics, and post-processing.
The skill of critical analysis – the photographer's most valuable tool. You will learn not just to shoot, but to see the strengths and weaknesses of your own and others' work, constantly improving.
A Portfolio with Weight: Your coursework (Year 1) and, most importantly, your diploma photo story are serious projects demonstrating your vision and skill.
Experience and Confidence: Two years of constant practice, feedback, and overcoming creative challenges give immeasurably more than short courses. You will emerge not just with a camera, but with an understanding of your place in photography.
Connection to the Profession: Regular lectures and interaction with practicing master photographers.

This Course is for You If:

You are ready for serious, systematic study for two years.
It's important for you not just to know, but to understand and be able to apply.
You value constructive criticism as the main driver of growth.
Your goal is conscious creativity, not just a weekend hobby.
You dream of creating a meaningful personal project under the guidance of a mentor.

Start your journey in photography with a foundation. Create not just shots, but stories.

This course is suitable for both complete beginners and enthusiasts who want to fill gaps in their knowledge. You can study in person in St. Petersburg or online.

Tuition fee: 8,500 rubles per month. The program is two years long – from September through May, with a break for summer vacation.

If you cannot attend a class in person or online, no problem – it will be available as a recording in your personal account the very next day.

To apply, you must submit an application on the "How to Apply" page and attach 4 to 8 photos from your portfolio. The photos are needed so the curator can see your current level and how you frame your shots.

Curriculum Outline

Creating Your Archive, Files – Which, When

jpg, tif, raw, nef, dng
How to properly upload files to your computer
EXIF file info, captioning
Why it's important to create your own archive

Basics of Composition

The picture plane or why correct composition is important
Subject center and balance
Rule of thirds
Background choice and perspective
Rhythm
The Decisive Moment
Informational peaks

Exposure

Shutter speed and aperture. Exposure triangle – what is it?
Exposure metering, methods of measuring exposure and exposure compensation.
Camera modes, when to use which and why.
Dynamic range and brightness, contrast;
Histogram and how to use it

Optics and Lenses:

Basics of optical image formation;
Lenses, focal length, aperture, what and why
Distorting the world: distortion, aberration,
Depth of field: why it's needed and when it gets in the way

Light and Light Sources

Types of light: backlight, side light, etc., hard, soft, etc. differences
What we shoot and with what light
How we use it
Dynamic range, contrast
Light painting

Color

Why color temperature
How to use camera settings and why you need to,
Shooting in mixed light, tricking the camera
Light filters

Basics of Portrait Photography

Psychology and optics
Light and accessories
On location and in the studio
Shooting at home
Candid/Reportage portrait
Group portrait

Landscape and Wildlife

Composition and shooting technique
Sun and moon in the frame
Wildlife

Evening and Night Photography

Shooting in low light: landscape, events, special techniques
"Open flash." Fireworks.

Sports

Equipment and gear
Shutter speed and ISO
Panning
Practical tips

Using Flashes

Direct flash
Filling in the subject
Bounce flash
Camera-cable-flash-umbrella-wireless
Open and slow flash - multiple flashes, strobe (for advanced)

Photo Reportage

A different language
Where is the author?
Shooting as-is, you can't direct
Practical advice

Travel

In travels: "Me in front of..." Souvenir photo. Alternating shots. Address.
What we find interesting to see in a photo.
How to shoot without attracting attention.
"Street photo",
Architecture, beach, landmarks. Photography bans.
The merits of "point-and-shoots." Colleague stories.

Theater and Club Photography:

Not disturbing the audience.
Lighting, light, metering,
Dance floor, disco, club, how to get a good shot, special techniques,
Real-life stories, dangers of shooting in nightclubs, bans.

Basics of Photoshop and Other Image Editing Programs

Most common programs
Basics of photo editing;
Correction: levels and curves, color
From color to B&W – when, how, and most importantly why
Noise reduction
Little tricks: perspective, vignetting, portrait retouching

Commercial Photography, Exhibitions, Contests

Working with a client, the task, presentation,
Exhibitions, contests, goals and objectives, results

First Year of Study. First Semester
A basic photography course: working with the camera in various conditions, settings and exposure, histogram and how to read it, camera program modes, files – their types and uses, light, color, captioning shots for agencies, creating your own photo archive. Composition, visual center, shot types, rhythm in photography, the decisive moment. In short, everything about creating quality images for the press. Work on single shots – "everything in one photo." Image editing programs, basic skills.

First Year of Study. Second Semester
Photography in complex conditions, various types of shooting: portrait, sports, landscape, shooting with flashes, little tricks and stories from the lives of photojournalists. Learning involves showings and reviews of works by masters and modern photojournalists from world agencies, using specific examples. Transition to shooting series and reportage. Genre diversity and structuring of journalistic images: press photo, journalism and documentary projects. Shooting classical reportage and modern visual language, theory and ethics of photojournalism: Coleman, Krakauer. Creating your portfolio.

Second Year of Study. First Semester
Choosing a topic for the diploma project, selection criteria, preparation and preliminary information gathering. Planning shoots, form and content, concept, starting work.

Second Year of Study. Second Semester
Work on the diploma project, discussion of first results. Review and analysis of shoots, preliminary sketches. Discussion of the final visual sequence. Layout, multimedia, final visual design.

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